Hero
by TibbiToo
Summary: "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." Hazel's the youngest of the Seven,and she's 13-way too young to have a prophecy on her shoulders. But Percy tells her his story, and how he had similar doubts. FRIENDSHIP
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I've been working on this for awhile, so I hope it's good :) I've had this idea in my head for awhile, and I'm probably going to do a series of these oneshots: The Seven bonding/interacting. So, in a review, tell me who you want me to do next. A Percy/Frank chat, A Percy/Jason chat, Annabeth/Hazel chat…anything!**

**Oh, and THANK YOU SO MUCH love-serenades (My amazing beta)! I couldn't have made this fic without you! If any of you are looking for a beta, she's your girl, she's truly amazing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson, because if I did, I would have made a character named Jenna who was based off me and made her Leo's love interest. Just saying.**

Hero. Definition: a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.

Brave deeds. Noble Qualities. Distinguished courage or ability.

Hazel Levesque is labeled as a hero. By the camp, by the Gods, by Frank, by Percy.  
>But she doesn't feel like a hero.<p>

Thus, she stares at the ever-changing, iridescent ocean, leaning against the wooden edge of the Argo II. She hears someone snoring below-deck, slumbering heavily, resting in preparationfor their arrival to Rome. They were to arrive at Rome in about two days or less to open the Doors of Death.

When she first saw the Argo II, she was stunned. It was the most beautiful ship she had ever lay her eyes on. It was made of warm-colored cherry wood, which made it look smooth and beautiful, but strong and powerful at the same time, too. However, soon after that, her amazement was obscured.

The Greeks and the Romans argued whether only the seven should go to fight the giants (The Greeks' idea) or to go as an army (The Romans' idea). Hazel had smiled to herself at the time. _Romans moved and fought as a team. Greeks were more individual fighters like the famous Greek heroes. _

The Greeks won the argument, since it was Juno's will, but that only made some Romans resent the Greeks more. And even worse, the Greek demigods who came on the Argo II who weren't one of the seven would be staying at camp Jupiter, discussing battle plans with the Romans. Even Hazel had to laugh at that. At least the seven (Percy, Frank, Annabeth, Jason, Piper and Sammy-Leo and herself) seemed to get along fine. They weren't resentful of each other, at least.

Hazel prayed to every god and goddess there was, both Greek and Roman, that the seven wouldn't fight, that there would be peace, and so far there was.

But Hazel was still fighting a battle. Not a Greek versus Roman battle. No, she was at war with herself.

Hazel Levesque was no hero. She wasn't an extraordinary fighter, she wasn't insanely brave.  
>Everyone told her she was, but she didn't buy it. She wasn't like her friend, Percy Jackson.<p>

Definition of _hero_: Percy Jackson.

Why couldn't she be as cunning as her friend? Why couldn't she be brave enough to make a gamble with Phineas?

Why has Juno chosen a little 13-year old girl with a terrible past, no family, and no skills to defeat someone like Gaea?

What skills could she offer the seven? Well, besides levitating jewelry, but what kind of power is that?  
>She was too young to be part of a prophecy. She was too young to stop someone like Gaea.<p>

She was too young to work with a bunch for 15 and 16-year olds. She would only hold them back.

She would have declined the invitation to be one of the seven, but Percy and Frank needed her. She couldn't let her friends down.

Her thoughts froze when she heard hesitant footsteps coming toward her.

It was probably around midnight by now… who would be up this late?

She turned around and found herself looking into a pair of familiar, intense sea-green eyes.

"Oh." She whispers, looking down at her feet. "What are you doing up?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Percy closes his eyes as he walks up to the edge of the boat right next to her, feeling the gentle sea breeze that tousles his already messy black hair. She studies him as he looks out across the ocean.

She can't help but notice the sad yet happy aura around him. His eyes shown with happiness and humor, yet they show despair and worry. He was an oxymoron, she decides. He radiated two opposites- sadness and laughter.

_Sounds about right._ Hazel thinks. _We're all about to go to war and die, but at least we'll have friends by our side._

Percy turns his head, catching her studying him, but she doesn't look away. They hold each other's gazes until Hazel says, "How do you do it?" She searches his eyes as if the answers were swimming in them.

"Do what?" He asks. He's quiet, and she figures he must have been thinking about something important. She feels guilty for interrupting his thoughts, but then, he interrupted her mind-rambling too, so she goes ahead and asks.

"How do you become a hero? How can you risk your life like that, and not even care?"

Percy looks away, probably because the question makes him uncomfortable. He looks at the ocean again and stares into the skyline for awhile, like he was searching for an answer himself. A firm expression finally replaces Percy's thoughtful one, and he turns toward Hazel.

"Time."

He must have understood Hazel's clueless expression, so he continues. "The longer you're a hero, the more you learn. You can't just read a book about it, and know all the answers to the world. It's like... it's like an old person."

Hazel can't help but smile at Percy's example. Seriously, an _old person?_

"Old people have been around for years. You know the saying 'been there, done that'? It's kind of like that." He finishes, looking back at the rippling ocean.

"But still," Hazel prompts, "How do you become a great hero? I don't have time! I have two days!"

Percy looks from the ocean to her. His piercing green eyes would have made her want to shrink, but there's a gentleness to them, so she continues. "I'm too young to save the world! I'm only thirteen going on fourteen! Percy, your sixteen! You've had three more years of experience and training than me! I've only been on one quest! I don't have any cool powers! Not like you, or Frank, or Jason. I'm not as smart as Annabeth." Hazel sighs and looks at the ocean, afraid she would start tearing up. She _hated_showing weakness when others needed her. By showing weakness, she was making others weak.

"Hazel, can I tell you something?" Percy says suddenly. He's looking at the ocean again, and his expression makes it look like he's reliving the past.

"Yeah, anything." Because Hazel knows that it's true. Percy could trust her with anything, and it went the same with her.

"I've known I was a demigod for about 5 years. I've gone on 4 major quests, and a mini quest. I've fought in a war. Yeah, sure, you can say I have experience in 'saving the world', but I haven't always." He stopped, like he was trying to find out how to organize his words.

"When I was twelve, I was brought to camp by my friend, Grover. I don't want to get into it too much, but the Minotaur came, kinda made my mom disappear, and almost killed me and Grover. I killed it, staggered to the Big House, and sorta collapsed. When I woke up, I learned that Zeus's master bolt was stolen. Poseidon claimed me, and I was sent on a quest with Annabeth and Grover to find it before the Summer Solstice. I had been at camp for less than a week and a half. Barely any training. But I did it. How? I have no clue. Did I make stupid decisions? Yes, very, _very_stupid choices." Percy shifts on his feet into a new position, getting comfortable for the long conversation they were about to dive into. "It was that year that I was told about the Great prophecy. I didn't hear it, or really know what it was, but it was mentioned."

Hazel didn't know what to make of Percy's story. He had gone on a quest, but so had she. Hazel just kept looking at Percy, trying to extract the story or lesson from him with her mind. It didn't work. Cross that off the list of superpowers Hazel _didn't_have.

"The next summer," Percy started after a long pause, which made Hazel jump a bit, "Annabeth told me on another quest we went on, that when I turned 16, bad things would happen; that I would decide the fate of Olympus. That was when I was thirteen, about your age." Percy was still studying the sea, like the waves were giving him the words he needed.

Hazel felt surprise, then guilt. Percy had gone through the same thing she had, but his prophecy was just about him. He didn't have other people to help him make the choice, or to bond with him. While she, at least, had support from friends... he was alone.

"Then, after the quest, Chiron told me something that changed the way I looked at a lot of things." Hazel remembered Chiron from Annabeth, Percy, Leo, Piper and Jason's stories. He was Camp Half-Blood's trainer and activities director, who was also a centaur. (_Camp Half-Blood. _Hazel mused. _Better name than Camp Jupiter._)

"I was doubting myself. Doubting I could defeat someone like _Kronos_. I mean, I was just a _kid_." He looked miserable for a second, then turned toward her. "Hazel, I didn't know what to do."

"Well, what did Chiron tell you?" Hazel urged, wanting to know the old centaur's wise advice that could solve her problem.

"He told me not to compare myself to mortals and their abilities. A mortal couldn't defeat Kronos. But I wasn't a mortal. I was half god. It's what makes heroes special. It's what gives us the abilities to do incredible things." Percy explained, looking at the ocean. "We carry the hopes of humanity into the realm of the eternal. We fight the battles humanity needs to win."

Hazel stood quietly, starring out to the calming ocean, replaying Percy's words in her head.

"You want to know what makes a real hero, Hazel?" Percy asked her, looking into her eyes with such intensity that it made her take a tiny step back.

"What?"

"It's not your strength, or skills, or powers. It's about your heart- what you would do for people who are in need, how loyal and righteous you are." Percy seemed to be trying to drill his words into Hazel's mind. "It's what kept me alive in fights. It's what kept me fighting the battle. It's what kept me fighting the prophecy and the Fates. It's what kept me battling without _doubt_." Percy looked at her with such anguish that it scared her.

Percy had been through a lot. He'd seen a lot. He was just like her.

"Hazel," Percy told her, looking at the ocean, shaking his head, "You can't lose the battle between you and your doubt. If you do, it will overrun you and make you vulnerable, and as good as dead."

They both stood there awhile in a comfortable silence. Hazel pondered and played with Percy's words. After a few minutes of them starring at the ocean, Percy shifted his weight, like he was about to leave.

"Where are you going?" Hazel asked, she turned toward the now leaving Percy.

"To bed." Percy smirked. "This deep talking and reliving the past can make a demigod swamped." Percy continued walking, but just as he was about to turn around the corner to the hall, he said, "Hazel? Just remember, A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. Joseph Campbell." Then he muttered, "I've been spending too much time with Annabeth." He turned the corner.

Hazel leaned against the edge of the boat, once again alone. _Hero_, she mused.

_I may not have awesome skills, but I know I have a good heart_. Hazel thought to herself. _And I'm going to be the best hero I can be._

And that night, was the night Hazel Levesque got a new perspective on being a hero.

**A/N So….? Did you like it? Please tell me what fic/characters you want me to do next! And there are some lines from the Sea of Monsters in there, or it is a paraphrase anyway. I always thought Hazel would feel, you know…in the way because she's the youngest. I also figured Percy could understand her, because he felt the same way in Sea of monsters and Titan's Curse.  
>Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY THALIA! <strong>

**Oh, and check out GoldenConverses' story "And You Are?" because her and I star in it. (I'm Jenna!) You should seriously go and check it out, and review ;) **

**THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! **


	2. Author's Note

A/N. This isn't a chapter, so sorry if you thought it was.

I have an announcement, and I just wanted you to be aware of it. My friend, Mrs. Billy Pratt and I are writing a crossover story together, consisting of the fandoms: Percy Jackson, Sammy Keyes, Psych and the Avengers.

The reason I'm telling you this is because we're making a joined account, and the people following me wouldn't know that I have a new story, and finding the crossover might be a little hard. The story is going to be located in the Percy Jackson and The Avengers section, but there's still plenty of Psych and Sammy Keyes in there. Our name is "TheObliviousElephants. You can find the profile/more information on my profile.

But anyways, news/a response to me not updating in, like, forever.

Just find the story your reading this message under, and see why the heck I haven't updated, and when I will.

**Just Give me A Heart Attack Why Don'tcha?!:** I haven't updated this since December 21, 2011. Wow. No wonder you guys are ticked off, I'm a slacker. First off, I apologize. I haven't been in the writing mode lately, but as of now, I'm trying to start writing again. I hope to publish the next chapter soon, but I don't want to set an exact date because I don't want to let you down. But don't worry, this story is my top priority, alongside this new fic. Thank you so much to those who have dealt with me over the year, and have continued to persuade me to continue. Honestly, getting those reviews, even months later, really reminds me that there are still people who want me to continue. I love you guys so much!

**Hero**: Hey! Just so you know, for those of you who are following this, I'm not going to add new chapters. What I mean is that the next installment is going to be another story itself, so if you want to know when it's coming, Author Alert me. I'm trying to write them, but I have lost inspiration, but I think I'm starting to get back into the writing mood now. I have a bunch of ideas, but right now I don't know what story/characters I'm going to do first. Thanks for all your suggestions!

**My Life's What Now?!:**Yes, I realize it's been a year since I updated, and I apologize. I WAS planning on posting chapters over the summer, but then I got lazy, and I regret it. So, I AM trying to work on it, and thanks for your patience! You are truly amazing and you have a right to be mad at me. Frankly, I'm mad at myself. So, I hope this fic kinda makes up for it. Oh! I also have a oneshot I'm working on, and I hope to post it soon. Thanks for all your support!


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